The invention relates to cylinder locks having side pins and side bar. Normally, this type of cylinder locks comprises a cylinder core and a cylinder housing, having the cylinder core arranged inside the cylinder housing and a side bar arranged in a space between the cylinder housing and the cylinder core. In a locked state, the side bar or blocking/latching bar is engaging and interfering with the cylinder housing and cylinder core and thereby prevents rotational movement of these in relation to each other. When the side pins are lifted by means of a key (code carrier) to a correct level by means of a groove in the side surface of the key, the side bar can be moved from engagement with the cylinder housing, and be pushed into the cylinder core and leave its locking position between the core and housing of the cylinder lock and thereby allow rotation of the cylinder core inside the cylinder housing so that the lock is opened. Such a lock is described in the Swedish patent document SE469565.
A combination of cylinder lock and key is shown in the Swedish patent SE-469565 (see figures) wherein the key (4) is provided with a groove in each of its side surfaces for engaging with code pins (5) arranged at opposite sides of the key-way (3 a) of the cylinder core. The groove runs along the side surfaces of the key and varies in elevation and when the key is inserted into the lock the pins are forced vertically, perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the key, upwards and downwards inside the cylinder core. The pins are essentially cylindrical and show narrower middle portions for receiving a blocking rod (6) when they are positioned in the correct code level lifted by the key. Depending on such factors as the number of code pins, the length of the key and height there are physical limits for the number of code possibilities. Even if the height of the key is large, the possibility to employ this height is limited. This is due to the resistance created when the code pins are pushed upwards and downwards by the groove of the key which becomes large for a large rise. For the same reason the variation in code level between two adjacent code pins is limited. A rise that is approximately 45 degrees at maximum creates very little resistance. Also the space available for the code pins in the cylinder core limits the maximal movement of the code pins and thereby the space available for coding levels.